


After the Fall

by LinaoftheAlleys



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, PIERCE Tamora - Works, Song Of The Lioness, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Character Reactions, Family Feels, Female Harry Potter, Gen, I Don't Even Know, I don't know why I tried to write a Snape pov, I jumped in without a plan, I promise there is some happy, I'm Sorry, Identity Reveal, Inspired by The Rigel Black Chronicles, Post Ruse Reveal, Sad Sirius is my muse, Series: The Song of the Lioness, The Futile Facade, The Pureblood Pretense, Violet said no can do with Sirius POV I said why not, We all love Poppy Pomfrey, When you can't feel emotions so you make other people feel pain, Why be happy when you can be pain, this fic has a mind of its own
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:20:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28396809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LinaoftheAlleys/pseuds/LinaoftheAlleys
Summary: Spoilers for The Futile Facade Chapter 13. Read at your own risk. I'm sorry, but I'm also not. There is a tiny bit of happy.
Comments: 35
Kudos: 148
Collections: Rigel Black Chronicles Appreciation





	After the Fall

[SbSbSb]

Sirius' hand closed around empty air. The last thing he saw before collapsing onto the platform were those familiar grey eyes, so much like his own, reflecting the same panic he felt back. Later on he would swear he saw something else in those final few seconds. Remorse? Pain? Regret? But in that moment, Sirius fell, his knees slamming into the rough wood of the podium, his bloody hands shaking as he stared at the spot where his son had disappeared.

The words didn't come. Not right away.

The shaking came first. The uncontrollable waves of despair and shock and confusion and pain hit his body like a windstorm, tearing at his insides, stabbing every single inch. His hands became red blurs, blood dripping onto the platform, mixing in with his tears.

He opened his mouth, but choked on the words.

His son was gone. But it wasn’t really his son.

_“…halfblood to halfblood.”_

_“You. Are not. Arcturus Black. WHO ARE YOU?”_

The wood beneath him creaked and swayed. Sirius realized how close he was to the edge. The world was a blur of colour and noise and smoke. He could hear someone shouting at him, but it didn’t matter. How long had he been at this breaking point? How long had he been pushing away the questions that drew him back from the precipice. His son was different. His son had changed. But it was okay because kids changed all the time. As long as his boy was okay, as long as he was safe, he could keep his promise to Diana…

Except he didn’t know what was real anymore. Rigel was a façade. And his son…Sirius had no idea where he was.

The structure shook. He felt a hand grab at his arm, but he pulled away, crawling towards the spot where the boy had disappeared.

What was he going to tell her? That he had lost their son because of his selfishness? That he couldn’t tell their real son from an imposter. He had failed.

Sirius crumbled into pieces. The promise he had made that night in the Black family library––as Diana sat with their son fast asleep in her arms, tear tracks marking both their faces––it was broken.

And Sirius broke with it.

“ARCHIE!”

[LpLpLp]

Lily scrambled across the lawn, her eyes on Sirius has he ran across the stage, his hands reaching out for Archie. Except it wasn’t her nephew…She had no idea who this boy was.

An explosion rocked the ground, and Lily stumbled, Remus catching her. They both turned to stare at the rising plume of smoke outside the stadium. Chaos reigned around them; the screams so loud that they almost missed the crack that sounded from above.

Lily looked up. The boy was gone. Apparated. She watched as Sirius fell onto his knees and her throat tightened.

“No,” she gasped, pulling on Remus’ arm and steering him towards the rickety wooden steps that led to the top of the podium. Remus kept looking back and up, his amber eyes narrowed in thought. Lily opened her mouth to ask what, but he turned back to her and his face switched to worry.

“It’s going to fall!” he said, pitching his voice above the noise.

Lily turned back to the structure. It shook slightly, the wood creaking as they reached the bottom step. They started climbing, twisting around, higher and higher. The shaking increased. Remus pointed his wand above them, magic spilling out and swirling into the cracks in the wood, imbuing them with magic. But it didn’t work. The runic array was oversaturated with magic. While some of it had dissipated when the barrier broke, the rest was using up the only source of energy available: the wood.

Rounding the bend, Lily pumped her legs, trying to take three steps at a time, when she heard the heart-shattering cry.

“ARCHIE!”

She tripped, her hands hitting against the wood, splinters digging into her palms. Tears fell down her face as the stage shook, a shower of wood shavings falling down around her. Turning back, she looked at Remus through her curtain of flaming red hair. He was standing there, his face pale, his eyes haunted. When their gazes met, his face crumpled for a second, before he shook himself and nodded towards the stairs.

Lily stood, and they took the last few steps together, reaching the top.

The aurors were apparating one by one, the platform a lost cause now. Lily watched through her tears as Sirius threw off another auror, screaming Archie’s name over and over again. She stumbled towards him, her heart a stabbing ache, Remus at her side, when all of a sudden the structure tilted. She slipped, Remus grabbing her and pulling her back.

“You need to go!” he yelled over the noise. “I’ll get him!”

Lily turned to look at Sirius, the wind stinging her face, blowing away her tears. Sirius beat the floor screaming, his voice growing hoarse, his hands bleeding profusely over Rigel’s green headband, unaware of his surroundings. She wanted to run to him, grab him, hold him, but Remus was stronger, and she knew Sirius would fight back.

The last thing she saw before she apparated was the structure tipping and Sirius sliding towards the edge. She opened her mouth to scream, but darkness enclosed around her, and the world tilted. She found herself gasping for air on the ground. And as she looked up at Sirius’s falling body, Remus jumped off the falling podium, wrapping his arms around Sirius’ waist and apparating mid-air.

The crack made her jump as Remus and Sirius collapsed before her. And then something niggled at the back of her brain. She had seconds to put up a shield, as the stage came crashing down, a cloud of dust and debris heading straight towards them.

[LhLhLh]

_“Gavril. What are you…”_

The words beat in rhythm with Leo’s pounding heart as he climbed up the side of the apartment building. His mind was a mess, throwing him into his memories, reminding him of the discrepancies, the secrets, the haunting look in Harry’s eyes. It also reminded him of the pure joy she emanated whenever she was in the Lower Alleys. He remembered her smiling as sweat dripped down her face while they practice sparred behind the Dancing Phoenix. He thought of her carefully muted excitement as she taught the alley kids about potions. And her laugh. He remembered her laugh the most.

Leo understood now. He understood why summer meant so much to Harry. He understood why her whole demeanor changed as August came to a close every year. And he finally understood the darkness that stuck to her shadow, always there, a steady constant, one that he hadn’t been able to figure out.

And yet his brain refused to go further. Refused to fully consider every single rumor and story he’d gathered about Harry’s “cousin” Rigel. _No_ , he shook himself firmly. He wasn’t going to think about any of that, not until Harry was safe.

Leo prided himself on his ability to stay cool-headed in intense situations. It came with the job really. But the past couple hours had drained him. It took all his strength to hoist open the window that led into Harry’s apartment. Dropping lightly onto the carpet, he took stock of the situation.

A thin layer of dust covered the mantle above the fireplace, as well as the coffee table. The kitchen was bare but neat. A couple cans of soup sat in the cupboards. The bedroom was also sparse, and the closet only contained a spare brewing robe and boots.

Leo immediately went to work, using the myriad of tidying spells his mother had drilled into his head. He started a fire in the fireplace, watching it flicker briefly, before he lit up some candles. Puffing up the couch cushions came next, as the kettle whistled in the kitchen. Once the tea was made, he poured half of it into a chipped mug that had a cauldron on it and a speech bubble saying, “Let it brew!” The tea would cool as he got the rest of the apartment ready…

Leo had wanted to do something the second he saw Harry was trapped. But if Dumbledore couldn’t take down the ward, he wasn’t foolish enough to attempt it. All he could do was trust that Harry had a plan. And of course she did. Because everything started to make sense. The apartment, the insistence that she go by Harry, her supposed interest in healing…

It hadn’t taken much for Leo to plan the explosion. In the chaos, he had Jacques gather all the performers and get them back to the Lower Alleys by portkey. His people safe, Leo had watched anxiously. Scar. This Lee Jordan fellow. Gavril, who had gone missing weeks back. And this redheaded woman who Leo had never seen nor heard of. And of course Voldemort. The man behind all the unrest of the past year. He felt as if his brain were trying to go every which way, but Harry was priority now. The rest would come in time.

The area around him was clear and far from the stadium. No one would get hurt, but it would be the perfect distraction to allow Harry to escape. When the barrier finally fell, the explosion followed. Leo watched through his omnioculars from a short distance away, hidden among the trees close to the stadium. He watched as Sirius ran across the unstable platform towards Harry. He saw the regret and pain on her face as she took a step back. And then Harry apparated and was gone.

Leo followed shortly after. His first stop being the Dancing Phoenix. It was difficult. He knew what he had to do. He knew where Harry would be going. But he also knew it would take her some time to get there. She had used up too much magic, which meant he had time to get things ready. But he was the Rogue first. His people looked at him for protection. And right now Scar and Voldemort were at large. And where was the best place to hide but in the Lower Alleys? Scar had bested him for months now, but that would stop today.

It took longer to delegate than Leo had expected. He kept the brief short and to the point, taking a couple questions only. As his men and ladies slinked off to carry out his orders, Rispah came over, placing a hand on his arm.

“I don’t know what’s really going on Leo, but go do what needs to be done.” She had looked up at him, tucking a bit of hair behind his ear, worry etching the lines on her forehead. “Just stay safe, or your mother will worry.”

Leo had nodded. And now he was here…putting food into Harry’s empty fridge, piling some dirty dishes in the sink, conjuring a blanket to throw onto the couch, grabbing the latest editions of some Potions journals he had snuck from his father and placing them on the coffee table. He took Harry’s spare potion boots and laid them carefully by the door, one tipped onto its side. The bedding freshened and mussed as if Harry had forgotten to make her bed that morning, he went to work on building up her wardrobe, transfiguring his clothes into ones her size and style. He added more books, pulled out her cauldron from the spare closet, restocked her potions ingredients…

It took a little over an hour, but at the end, Leo stood in the middle of what looked like a well-loved apartment and sighed in relief and exhaustion. Not using his wand took a lot more out of him, but he knew Harry would be more concerned for his safety than her own. He wouldn’t leave a trace of his magical signature, and all Harry had to do was move around her apartment a bit and make sure there were traces of hers left.

He turned to the window, the sky outside the colour of spilled ink, the sun reaching its final rays up into the deepening night. A black bird landed on the roof of the apartment across the street, stretching out its wings before leaping back into the air.

Leo sighed. He was due back at the Dancing Phoenix. All he could do now was hope Harry made it here safe. Picking up his empty rucksack, Leo opened the window, only to have the same bird fly down from above and land on the windowsill. The bird’s eyes were a startling green.

[SsSsSs]

Severus considered himself to be a man of unwavering countenance. So when Poppy sent a message asking to speak with him in the Hospital Wing, Severus assumed the quandary was potions-related in nature. But the healer ushered him into her private office instead, and Severus had to admit he felt a little trapped.

“You are tense, Severus,” Poppy observed, her eyes travelling up and down his body in quick precision.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Severus replied tersely, leaning back in his seat to prove how un-tense he could be. If there was anyone in this damn school who could read him, it was Poppy. Dumbledore also proved to be quite perceptive, though he tended to keep his thoughts to himself.

“You know what I mean,” Poppy said with a humph. “You’ve been holding yourself differently. Your shoulders are tight, and you sat down too slowly. Did you pull your back lifting heavy cauldrons?”

Severus snorted. “I’ve been in the business long enough to know how to lift a cauldron, Poppy.” He sighed, getting ready to stand up. “If that is all…”

“It’s Mr. Black, isn’t it?” Poppy said softly.

Severus sat back down, his dark eyes shooting a warning at the matron, who ignored him easily.

“You’re worried for him–“

“I worry for all my students.”

Poppy shook her head. “Don’t be daft, Severus. It’s quite obvious.” She leaned forward, her voice lowering. “If this final task is anything like the previous one…” Her eyes flashed angrily, and Severus noted that he should never find reason to cross this woman, unless he wanted to end up as one of her patients. “I won’t let them hold me back this time.”

Severus nodded gravely. “Just one more, and it’ll be done.”

It was Poppy’s turn to snort. “I know you answer to Riddle, Severus, but I do not have it in me to care anymore. That man will do anything to get his hands on the boy, and I don’t like it one bit.”

Severus sighed. “My hands are tied as it is. And give the boy more credit. He always has some trick up his sleeve.”

Poppy eyed him carefully. “He looks up to you, Severus. And not taking care of yourself will only hurt you in the end.” She gave him a piece of parchment. “Breathing exercises,” she explained, “to help you relax. Do them morning and night, and whenever you have a chance during the day. It’ll help with the tightness.” She glared at him as Severus grimaced. “And take half a dose of Muscle Relaxant an hour before the task.”

“Fine.” Severus took the folded piece of parchment from Poppy and tucked it into his robe pocket.

It came as no surprise when Poppy happened to find him in the stands right before the start of the final task, a paper cup of tea in her hand. She handed it to him without a word and sat down, her eyes focused on the maze before her.

Severus took a careful sniff of the concoction before him, surprised to find that it was just chamomile tea. He took a gulp, swallowing it down quick, refusing to grimace in public. He preferred black coffee or Earl Grey, not this flowery stuff.

The task itself felt off to Severus. It was almost too easy, the challenges easily overcome by someone as talented as his star pupil. A heaviness settled in Severus’ stomach, one that had nothing to do with the awful tea. When Delacour’s miscast spell freed Rigel, Severus felt himself stiffen. He had watched the French girl in the other tasks. She was always precise with her spellcasting, and for her to make a miscalculation like this one, didn’t add up.

Severus leaned forward as Rigel sprinted towards the Triwizard cup…

Should he have expected it to be so easy? In hindsight, Severus knew it was his exhaustion that led him to hope. Hope was a useless emotion, more faith than calculated expectation. And unfortunately faith required trusting that everything would go according to plan.

The wards broke Severus’ usually stoic demeanor. He didn’t realize he was on his feet, wand in hand, his magic pulsing out towards the barrier, testing it to see the runes spring up, hidden among the strengthening arrays.

His eyes narrowed, and Severus felt fury course through his veins. _Not again._

***

Severus escaped in the chaos, his mind reeling with too many questions…too many coincidences and similarities. Ones that couldn’t be easily ignored or pushed aside. But there wasn't time to think through it all.

He apparated right into the dorm, startling his godson who sat crumpled on the floor, tears streaming down his face.

“Where is he, Draco? Where’s Rigel?”

Draco shook his head, dagger clutched tightly in his hand, the Black family crest glinting in the setting sun. “There is no Rigel.”

Severus felt his heart clench. _There is no Rigel_. There never was. It was all an elaborate lie, perfectly spun to meet ambitious ends. His godson didn’t seem aware of it however, and Severus would keep it that way. His occlumency shields standing stark and strong in his mind’s eye, he spun on his heel, preparing to apparate once again, when the anti-apparition wards settled around the school. Sighing inwardly, Severus ran instead, his feet pounding through the dungeon corridors until at last he found himself standing before the potions lab.

It was evidence. The clear, cold truth. And it needed to be destroyed.

Severus placed his hand on the door, pausing for a breath. The decision was already made for him. He would protect his student, his apprentice…his colleague. Because intelligence and talent of that level had no place in Azkaban. And if it required bending the law––breaking it even––Severus would do whatever was necessary.

“Binny.”

The house elf appeared beside him, looking up with big, round eyes. “Sir?”

“I have in need of an elf who can be discrete. For Rigel’s sake,” he added.

Binny’s eyes widened. “Yes, sir, absolutely.”

In a matter of seconds the spell on the door was dismantled. And when Binny finished, it looked like a small hurricane had made its round through the potions lab, leaving very little evidence intact.

The next stop was his office, where a small crate of homesick-relief lay in a corner. Binny took care of that easily enough, but not before Severus pocketed a vial for himself.

There was much to be done, but as Severus stood in his small office, his eyes taking in the jars of potion ingredients, papers, and books, he felt resolve settle in his stomach. For once there was no hesitancy or weighing which was the greater evil. Severus felt free from his bonds. The boy––no, the girl––had won the tournament after all, and Severus was not beholden to anyone or anything anymore. It was time to set things right.

[HpHpHp]

Harry flew until she was safely outside the anti-apparition wards. Landing was a lot harder than it looked. Even flying hadn’t been easy, though pretending she was just playing quidditch helped. She hit the ground hard and opened her eyes to see that she was in her human body once more.

It took one full dose of Pepper-Up before she felt ready to apparate. Putting on her invisibility cloak, she apparated first to Hogsmeade. It wasn’t yet crawling with aurors, but going by Floo was not an option anyway. Her magical reserves good enough, she began her journey, stopping every now and then to rest and take gulps from her second dose of Pepper-Up. It was almost dark by the time she made it to London, apparating into the tiny, dark backstreet that led to the Diagon Alley entrance.

Once through, she took on her animagus form. Harry flew high enjoying the bird’s eye view of Wizarding London. It was peaceful all the way up here, away from the chaos and destruction she had left in her wake. She felt freer than she had in a long time. The wind ruffled her feathers, the setting sun a beautiful warm back-drop. She almost missed her own apartment, having to double back.

Harry flew lower, her eyes sharp, looking for anything out of the ordinary. She’d passed through the crowded parts of Diagon Alley in a blur. The mirrors set up to view the final task standing ominously tall. But Dogwood Lane was deserted.

As she flew even lower, she noticed something peculiar about her apartment. A light seemed to be on in the kitchen. She landed on the windowsill, trying to see through the slit in the curtain, when a tall figure walked by, blocking out the light. Jumping back, she flapped her wings to keep herself afloat, only narrowly stopping herself from squawking in surprise.

It was Leo. She watched as he adjusted the kettle on the stove, gloves covering his fingers. He took one last look inside the fully-stocked fridge, before turning to go back into her living room.

Realization dawned on her. Harry felt something twist inside, the human part of her aching. She flew back to the apartment across the street and had just landed when she saw Leo looking out the window straight at her. Stretching out her wings, she took back to the air, more unsure than she had ever been before.

The creak of the window opening made the decision for her and she landed right on the windowsill, her bright green eyes staring up into warm hazel ones.

Leo’s eyes widened as he took in her form, and then his face slowly opened, breaking into a relieved smile. He stepped back and she flew in, landing on the floor awkwardly.

Shutting the window and drawing the curtains closed, Leo turned around and knelt beside her.

“Hey there, lass,” he said softly, his head cocked to one side taking her in.

It didn’t take any effort to switch back into her human form. Leo’s voice was like coming home.

The tears came almost immediately, and for once Harry didn’t hold them back. She looked up at her friend, her one friend she could trust with her life, who had promised to be there when she needed him most. She needed him now and he was here, sitting in front of her, his eyes also filling with tears.

“Oh, Harry,” Leo murmured, pulling her into his arms. He held her, rocking her back and forth, rubbing her back, running long fingers through her short hair. Until she hiccupped and took a deep breath, calm enough to sit back.

Harry wiped her face with the back of her hand. “I’m sorry,” she said, avoiding his gaze. She couldn’t imagine the lengths he had gone through to do all of this for her. And that was nothing compared to what must be going on in his head. All the questions he must have…

Leo gripped her chin with his hand, tilting her face up to meet his eyes. “You don’t need to apologize, lass. I told you I’d be here to pick you up after the fall. That’s what friends do.”

Harry nodded, the lump in her throat threatening to close off her speech. She gave Leo a weak smile. “Thank you,” she whispered, “for everything.”

Leo smiled, squeezing her hand. “Now, I won’t ask any questions, not until you’re ready, but you have things to do I’m sure.” He waved a hand at the apartment around her. “It’s all ready for you, just shake off some of your essence, maybe take a shower––“ He grinned as she rolled her eyes. “I won’t let anything happen to you, okay? You’re not alone and your secret is safe.”

Harry nodded, blinking back tears.

“And don’t you even worry about repaying me,” Leo added, noticing the look on her face. Harry bit her lip sheepishly; she had been thinking that. “I don’t want anything from you, lass. I just want you to be safe.”

“I don’t deserve you,” was all she managed to say in reply.

Leo shook his head, grabbing her by the hands and pulling her up so she was standing. “Yes, Harry, you do. You deserve everything and more, and don’t let your brain tell you otherwise. I know you’ve gotten yourself in a mess, but it was never supposed to end this way, right?”

Harry sighed. “We didn’t know what we were doing. We probably should have stopped a long time ago…”

“You were kids,” Leo said firmly. “You did the best you could with the cards you were dealt with.” He softened his voice. “Don’t punish yourself, lass. It’s easier said than done, but it’s a start. One step at a time.”

Harry hugged Leo, nodding into his chest. She wasn’t sure how well she could follow his advice. Sweeping her mess under the rug might be possible, but the guilt...she couldn’t sweep that away so easily.

She let go, and Leo bent down, kissing the top of her head. “For good luck,” he said with a grin, and before Harry knew it, Leo had slipped out the window and was gone.

[ClClCl]

(a hypothetical letter if Caelum figured it out, but make it lighthearted because I’ve caused you all enough pain)

_Harry,_

_Or should I say Rigel. You have a lot of explaining to do. Don't tell me you took your annoying cousin's place just to be tutored by Snape, because that's the most ridiculous reason to ever commit blood identity theft. And what kind of cousin would let you go along with this plan? Does Black not care if you rot in Azkaban?_

_I hope you're somewhere safe. Not that you'll read this. I'm sure any letter addressed to you will be intercepted._

_All I ask is that you take care of yourself. The number of wrinkles I find myself noticing in the mirror have exponentially increased since we met. I'll be sending you a bill for the reparations._

_Sincerely,_

_C_

[AbAbAb]

Archie slammed the door to his room shut. With shaking hands, he traced the lock on the door with his wand, murmuring the strongest locking charm he could remember, before running to the wardrobe and digging out the mirror from his underwear drawer. (It happened to be the safest place in his room, okay.)

"Harry," he whispered desperately, but all he saw was his metamorphosed face reflected back. Still shaking, he placed the mirror on his bed and ran a hand through his mussed up hair.

_It’s over_ , he realized.

Archie sank into his bed, rubbing his face. He couldn’t think clearly. All he could see was his dad running towards him, arm outstretched, reaching… He felt the pain like he was standing there on the winner’s podium, frozen, unable to grasp his father’s hand. And in that moment, Archie just wanted a hug from Sirius, to tell him he was sorry. That they were both sorry. How could they have known it would come to this?

Archie wept in the quiet of his room. He wept for his father, his aunt and uncles. He wept for the ruse that now lay in pieces around them. He wept for everything he had worked for. But most of all, he wept for Harry.

Harry who was so strong and resilient. Who had risked the most for both of them to follow their dreams. Archie let out a muffled cry. He didn’t know where Harry was. He didn’t know if she had made it out. If she was safe. His sweet, beautiful cousin, who he would die for, was alone when he knew she needed him most. The only person who knew what she had gone through.

Archie hurt. His chest was a throbbing, sharp ache. He could still see Sirius’ grey eyes, haunted with disbelief and despair. And he didn’t know how he could ever apologize for what he had made his father go through. What they had both done. It had been so innocent, this whole thing. A fun little prank that had gone too far. And despite having discussed the next steps with Harry in minute detail, he wondered if any of it would be enough to assuage their guilt.

Shaking his head, Archie took a deep breath, wiping the tears from his face. _Harry_. He had to trust that she had gotten away and would contact him as soon as it was safe. As for the plan…Archie steeled himself. It would take everything out of him, but he would do it. Just like Harry had done time and time again, dealing in lies and half-truths until she couldn’t tell what was real anymore. Archie too, would make that sacrifice. And then when things were a little calmer, they’d talk it out and figure out how to fix this. There had to be a way after all.

A small knock shook him out of his thoughts.

“Harry?”

Archie wavered, but then took a long shaky breath. Holding up the mirror, he quickly set his hair straight, taking the redness out of his eyes with a blink, patting away the tear tracks. His first test, the hardest of them all.

When he opened the door, Hermione looked up at him, biting her lip nervously. “What’s going on Harry?”

He opened the door wider so she could come inside.

“Everyone is so confused. They don’t understand what happened.” Hermione’s words spilled out of her mouth in a stream. “I met Rigel. I _know_ Rigel. How could he not be who he says he was?” She looked up at him, her warm brown eyes shining with unshed tears. “Help me understand Harry,” she begged.

Archie swallowed, clearing his throat. “My name isn’t Harry. I’m Arcturus Rigel Black.”

[HpHpHp]

Harry stepped out of her kitchen holding two cups of tea to find Caelum riffling through her desk drawer. She sighed loudly, slightly annoyed, but mostly amused at how easily her friend had thrown away all decorum to go snooping.

"What are you looking for?" she asked, setting the tea down.

"What's this?" Caelum pulled out a roll of thick vellum.

"A letter.”

"It's expensive," noted Caelum, turning the scroll over in his hand. His blue eyes narrowed suspiciously at the soft feel of the vellum under his fingers. "Which rich lord are you acquaintances with?"

Harry rolled her eyes. "First, it could be a rich lady. And second, I have many connections in high places. Comes with the talent and charm."

Caelum snorted, untying the velvety black ribbon. His eyes scanned the elegant calligraphy before his sights fell on the name signed off at the end. "Kasten?! That vampire?"

"Yes, now can I–"

"'Esteemed Friend'..." Caelum looked up at her, his blue eyes full of reproach. " _Friend_?"

"Yes, Caelum," Harry said slowly, enunciating every word, as she grabbed the letter from him. "Kasten is my friend."

"He barely knows you," argued Caelum. " _I've_ known you longer."

Harry grinned, widening her bright green eyes just a tad. "You can call me friend too, Caelum," she said, her voice soft and affectionate. "I don't mind."

Caelum spluttered, stepping back. "Absolutely not."

"Why?" Harry crossed her arms over her chest. "Are we not friends?"

"You're insufferable," muttered Caelum, looking away. Harry took note of the colour rising up Caelum’s neck.

"You didn't answer my question."

He looked up, his eyes immediately shifting away from meeting hers. He let out a long breath, stuffing his hands into his robe pockets. "I won't admit to anything."

Harry waved the vellum in her hand. "Well, Kasten admitted to it."

"Kasten is a vampire."

"So?"

"So, he's weird. And a recluse."

Harry laughed. "Yes, and you're a socialite. Just admit it."

Caelum groaned. "Will you shut up if I do?"

"Maybe..." Harry said, wiggling her eyebrows.

She caught Caelum fighting back a smile, before he brushed a hand across his face. "Fine. You're...my...friend." He swallowed, looking a little green.

"See," Harry said, her eyes softening. "That wasn't so bad now was it."

"Just drop it,. I came here to brew, not wax poetics on _friendship_." He said the last word with a shiver.

Amused, Harry took Caelum by the arm and deposited him onto her couch. "Drink your tea," she said, shoving the cooling cup into his hands. She sat across from her friend, regarding him thoughtfully.

Caelum choked on his tea. "W-what?!"

"Nothing," she said, smiling into her own cup. "Nothing at all."

**Author's Note:**

> I tried with the Snape POV, though I think it's the weakest out of the rest. It's so hard to get into his mind, and there was no way I was going to attempt him sorting through all the facts and connecting the dots. That sounds like something Violet can do best. I hope you guys enjoyed this and shed some tears! I was dying the past week as I saw people begging for certain post-reveal POVs. Meanwhile I was here secretly writing this fic lol


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